September 4, 2008

A Star is Born

On Monday, things looked bleak for the Republican Party. A storm was raging in the Gulf and revelations of a teenage pregnancy served to threaten a nominee that was less than a week old and a campaign that was dead-even in the polls.

Then came Fred Thompson. He delivered a speech like no other, simultaneously highlighting the character and courage of the man on the top of the ticket, the qualifications of the vice presidential nominee, and severe limitations of their opponents. He was thoughtful, articulate, blunt, funny, and most importantly, persuasive.

The subsequent speeches from Rudy Giuliani and Joe Lieberman were similarly effective.

However, each of the speeches given at the convention will forever pale in comparison to that given by Gov. Sarah Palin. Her speech delivered on all levels. She was the attack dog (the "pitbull in lipstick") that went after Obama, highlighting her experience and poking fun at his tenure as a "community organizer." She explicitly highlighted her family, the subject of great controversy in the media and demonstrated pride at their ability to respect life and overcome adversity. Palin stood tall and strong and showed that regardless of the result of this election, she has cemented herself as a star in the Republican Party for years to come.

The Democrats are scared. The media is disillusioned. The Republicans can win by targeting the base. They have done it for the last 28 years. John McCain knew what his ticket was lacking and he found it in Sarah Palin.

Around these parts, I am known as a reluctant Republican. However, this convention actually has me energized (I will pause so that jk can wipe off his computer screen that is undoubtedly covered in some sort of beverage). After all the talk of finding the next Ronald Reagan or the right conservative or the person who can secure all legs of the Republican base, the point is now moot. A strong woman from small town in Alaska who believes in life and in freedom and who fights government corruption has emerged through a crowd of men, of which none truly fit the bill, to become not only the driving force behind the McCain campaign, but potentially the face of the Republican Party for years to come.

Sarah Palin delivered tonight.

RNC2008 Posted by Harrison Bergeron at September 4, 2008 12:30 AM

Excellent points HB, and I second them all.

I also want to highlight what I consider the "money line" from Palin's speech: "Here's how I look at the choice Americans face in this election. In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers, and then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change."

(Need to figure out how to put that on a bumper sticker.)

I also noticed in many of the delegate close-up shots that women were swooning over her all over the hall. I read one woman's lips talking to her friend: "I love her!"

It's looking more and more like Mrs. Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, will show in the coming months how Hillary Clinton gave female politicians on the national stage a bad name. No pant suits here. No grating monotonic voice with the cadence of a too-slow metronome. No stale nanny-state message. The fresh face for the GOP, oft called the "daddy party" is a mommy - one hell of one at that.

My favorite button at the convention so far (from the vantage point of my couch): "Sarah Palin - The hottest VP from the coolest state"

Posted by: johngalt at September 4, 2008 2:10 AM

There's an unconfirmed rumor that Major League Baseball is considering a new rule called the "Palin Rule." If you hit the ball far enough, you get to circle the bases twice.

Posted by: Boulder Refugee at September 4, 2008 10:47 AM

Superb post, hb. I was thinking similar thoughts this morning (you're quicker than I). Republicans need to stop waiting for Reagan to drop out of the sky and work the farm system a little.

I remain amazed at Palin's ability to unite. She shows that Frank Meyers's fusionism is not dead. Social conservatives will accept a principled libertarian and the freedom lovers will accept an ardent believer as long as (s)he works both sides in the framework of constricted, Constitutional authority.

Posted by: jk at September 4, 2008 11:24 AM | What do you think? [3]